


Lightening The Mood

by badly_knitted



Category: FAKE (Manga)
Genre: Community: beattheblackdog, Drama, Driving, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Injury, Injury Recovery, Living Together, M/M, Rain, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26915962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badly_knitted/pseuds/badly_knitted
Summary: Ryo is bored and fed up with being stuck at home following a serious injury.
Relationships: Dee Laytner/Randy "Ryo" MacLean
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Lightening The Mood

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Challenge 218: Lighthearted at beattheblackdog. 
> 
> Setting: After Like Like Love.

“You’re mopin’ again,” Dee said, coming up behind Ryo who was staring out the window at the falling rain, lost in thought and not really seeing much of anything.

Jolted out of his reverie, Ryo frowned at his partner. “What? No I’m not!”

“Sure y’are! You’re standin’ there lookin’ as gloomy as the weather.”

Ryo sighed heavily, giving the lie to his denial. “It’s just boring being stuck at home, especially when I’m not allowed to do anything.” He was recovering from getting shot and was under strict doctor’s orders not to exert himself in any way. That meant no cleaning, no cooking, and even sex was limited to Dee giving him hand jobs and blowjobs. It was frustrating not being able to get up to their usual antics but it wouldn’t do to tear out any of his stitches.

Amazingly, after just a week at home he was already tired of reading all the time, or watching TV, and the dismal weather somehow made everything worse; it never seemed to stop raining. Despite the generous size of the apartment he shared with Dee, he felt trapped, like the walls were closing in on him. Seven days since he’d been discharged from the hospital and he hadn’t set foot outside the apartment door once. It sucked.

“If you’re bored with bein’ home we could go out somewhere.”

“In this?” Ryo gave his lover an incredulous look. “Are you crazy? We’d get drenched! I’m supposed to be keeping my stitches dry.”

“We’ve got umbrellas, and a car. We could go for a drive, see if we can get out from under the rain clouds.”

Ryo gave the idea some thought; it would at least make for a change of scene, even if sitting in a car being driven through the city, looking at the rain from a different vantage point, didn’t sound like the most scintillating way of passing the time. Still, sometimes you just had to take what you could get.

“Okay, why not? I guess anything’s got to be better than staying cooped up indoors.”

“Don’t strain yourself with your enthusiasm,” Dee teased. “We can stop off somewhere for lunch. You need a hand with your shoes?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Bending was another thing that was giving Ryo trouble.

Twenty minutes later they were geared up ready to go. Dee had filled a couple of flasks with coffee and grabbed some snacks, just in case they got peckish, then helped Ryo change out of his sweatpants into loose slacks and a sweater, with a light jacket over the top. Soon they were in the car, slightly damp in spite of the umbrella Dee had held over their heads as they made their way down the stoop and across the sidewalk to where Dee’s Charger was parked. 

Dee started the car and pulled smoothly away from the curb while Ryo, settled in the passenger seat, stared gloomily out the side window at the rain. So much for the change of scenery, the view looked pretty much the same from in here as it had from the apartment window.

“Lighten up, babe, at least you’re outta the apartment now. How about some music?” With a flick of the wrist Dee turned the radio on; it was tuned to a station that played classic rock and as the familiar strains of Steppenwolf’s ‘Born to be Wild’ filled the car’s interior Dee was soon singing along.

Without realising it, Ryo’s foot started tapping along to the beat, and by the time they crossed the state line into Connecticut, he’d joined Dee in singing along to the songs they knew.

It was still raining, but away from New York City the steady downpour seemed less dreary and more refreshing, falling as it was across green fields and trees instead of a vista of grey and brown buildings. They followed I-95 along the coast, taking in the view, and stopped for lunch at a small-town diner, ordering toasted sandwiches followed by a peach cobbler that was to die for.

By the time they left the diner the rain had stopped and the sky was brightening. It would probably rain again later, but for the moment the weather was quite pleasant. Driving on, they stopped a few miles out of town, found somewhere to park, and strolled along a stretch of sandy beach, enjoying the fresh, salty sea air.

The weather wasn’t the only thing that had improved; Ryo was in a much better mood now, feeling almost light-hearted, his mopiness forgotten.

“This was a good idea,” he said, smiling at Dee. “I was going stir crazy stuck at home.”

“Everyone needs a change of scene sometimes; only wish I’d thought of this before. Just let me know if ya start to feel tired; don’t want you overdoin’ it.”

“Don’t be such a mother hen, Dee!” Ryo chuckled. “I’m fine; walking wasn’t included on my list of prohibited activities. It’s good to stretch my legs a bit.” The breeze off the sea whipped Ryo’s hair about, blowing the cobwebs away and clearing his head, making him feel truly alive for the first time since he’d been shot. “I promise not to overdo anything.” 

He stopped, tipping his head back to watch a gull soaring overhead, feeling Dee move behind him, strong arms sliding gently around his waist, and he leaned into the embrace, secure in the knowledge that Dee would make sure he didn’t lose his balance and wrench his healing injuries. Turning slightly, he brushed his lips against his lover’s cheek. 

“Come on, let’s paddle.” It was warm enough for that now the rain had stopped.

Dee laughed. “And then what? Build a sandcastle?”

“Why not?”

Eventually they’d have to head back to the car and drive home, singing along with the radio, but right now there was no reason not to indulge themselves in some light-hearted fun. Life was for living.

“Whatever you want, babe.” Dee grinned as he kicked off his shoes, then helped Ryo with his, tying the laces together for easy carrying.

Hand-in-hand, they made their way down to the water’s edge, sinking into the wet sand and letting the wavelets lap over their feet. Sometimes the simplest pleasures were the best.

The End


End file.
